Classroom sizes seen in primary schools throughout Shropshire and across Telford & Wrekin are bigger than those in many other parts of the country, new figures showed today.

Within the Shropshire Council area, there is on average one teacher for every 26.9 children, while Telford & Wrekin has a pupil to teacher ratio in its primary schools of 23.5 compared with the national average of 21.4.

The North East of England has the smallest primary class sizes, with one teacher for every 20.8 children, according to statistics published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The figures also reveal that children attending primary schools in inner London are taught in much smaller classes than their peers in the suburbs of outer London.

Despite the bigger than average class sizes in the Shropshire Council area, the area’s schools have one of the best educational records nationally and have set high scoring records in tests for 11-year-olds.

John Rowley, assistant director for children and young people’s services, said very few pupils across Shropshire were taught in classes of more than 30.

The statistics also show that the east of England has one of the biggest secondary school classes, with an average of one teacher for every 16.7 pupils. The national average is 15.9. The Shropshire figure is 21.4.